By My Side
by alazymoon
Summary: Everyone thought Natsu would end up with Lucy, and Gray with Juvia. But life doesn't always follow our best laid plans. Will the friendship that Lucy and Gray share develop into something more? Or will they uncover what was always there, being by each other's side?
1. Chapter 1

"You, um, look really nice today, Lucy."

The words tumbled out of Gray Fullbuster's mouth before he realized it. He had no idea why he just said that. He wasn't a talker and definitely wasn't the type to compliment girls in any way, shape or form. He was a cool dude. The strong and silent type. Telling a girl she looked nice might make her think you liked her, and that was a complication he didn't need. It was bad enough that he had to constantly fend off the advances of most people in whom he wasn't interested in at all - Juvia Lockser, random bandits, Sugarboy.

*shudder* _Let's not think about that last one right now._

Not that he was lying when he told his teammate, Lucy Heartfilia, that she looked nice. She really did. Sure, she had less makeup on than usual, and only wore a simple denim skirt, pink tank top and her usual black boots. But he kinda liked that. For once he could see her, instead of her bright makeup and flashy clothes.

So why did he say it? It's not like she wasn't aware of her blonde good looks and curvaceous body. You could even say she was _too_ aware, a trait which occasionally got on his nerves. Dragging her out of her apartment to go on missions while she tried on endless combinations of clothes had always been a sore point with him, so catering to Lucy's vanity was something he generally avoided. But lately his teammate seemed like a pale, faded version of the cheerful girl he knew, and a sad Lucy just wasn't right.

Yeah, that was it. Lucy was sad and he didn't know why. He wasn't sure when it began; all he knew was that what he had thought was a just passing mood with her had stretched out into days, followed by weeks. Her bubbly bounce into the guild had been replaced by a quiet shuffle, her bright expression dulled into a pensive look, her sharp attention span now a faraway absentmindedness. Seeing her like that made him feel like he wanted to punch something. And not in a good Fairy Tail kind of way.

Lucy's fork toppled from her fingers and clattered onto her plate, the background noise of their raucous guild covering the sound. Her chocolate-brown eyes widened at him in disbelief. "R-really?" she asked, a slight rosy tinge brightening her cheeks.

Gray sighed with irritation and put on his best bored expression. The last thing he wanted was anyone getting any _ideas_ about the two of them. "Yeah," he shrugged, acting as though complimenting his teammate was something he did every day instead of, well, never.

To his surprise, Lucy brightened into a sunny smile he hadn't seen in weeks. "Wow, thanks, Gray! That's so nice of you to say!"

An unbidden rush of heat surged into Gray's face at her warm response. "It's, uh, no big deal," he stammered, taken aback by her immense gratitude for such a small compliment.

She looked at him under her eyelashes. "Well, it is to me. Lately I've been feeling like no one notices all the effort I take to look good." She reached out across the table and gave his hand a squeeze. "It's nice to know that at least you notice!"

He froze at the sudden warmth of Lucy's soft hand enveloping his. Staring at their clasped hands on the table, her petite, smooth hand draped over his larger, muscular one, he croaked, "Lucy, I—"

"Notice what?" asked Natsu Dragneel, flopping himself next to Lucy and elbowing his way through his teammates' clasped hands to grab a slice of toast from Lucy's plate. He bit into the bread and grimaced. "Yuck, this is cold," he frowned, sticking out his tongue. Using his fire magic, the Dragon Slayer spewed flames onto the lukewarm bread, charring it to a crisp.

Gray pulled his hand back to his side, the pressure of Lucy's touch still lingering on his skin. He expected Natsu to go sailing across the guildhall from a trademark Lucy-kick, but instead the blonde simply looked away. "Hey, I was eating that," she grumbled half-heartedly.

Natsu wiped the crumbs from his mouth with the back of his hand before grabbing another slice of toast. "What did Gray notice?" he insisted.

Lucy looked over at Gray, her eyes pleading with him to explain. But the last person he would tell that he complimented Lucy was Natsu. Everyone knew those two were going to be a couple, it was just a matter of time before the pink-haired idiot realized it. Not that Gray was gonna help him figure it out, though; he had his own girl troubles to worry about.

Seeing that Gray wouldn't budge, Luc y sighed. "He noticed I looked nice, _unlike some people_."

Natsu swallowed the toast then leaned his face straight into Lucy's, giving her a forceful stare. The blonde sat motionless under her teammate's gaze, her brown eyes looking down to avoid his intense scrutiny. After a few moments, the Dragon Slayer shrugged. "I guess so. You always look the same to me."

"Yes, I know," she tossed back, crossing her arms over her chest and staring back down at her plate with a frown.

Something in the tone of Lucy's voice brought back that punching feeling to Gray. "Hey, greedy, leave her alone," he snapped.

Natsu placed both hands on the table and leaned forward, pushing his face straight into Gray's. "You got a problem with me, droopy eyes?"

"I always got a problem with you flame-brain!"

The fire mage threw the first punch, which the ice wizard was glad to return. Somehow smashing Natsu's face in seemed more satisfying than usual. Before long most of the other Fairy Tail wizards joined the fray and the guildhall was soon turned into a boxing ring.

It was a few hours later when Gray woke up from a concussion, lying on the wooden floor and clad only in his boxer shorts. He sat up, rubbed his head, and looked around. Everyone else was scattered around the guild, blissfully knocked out. Happy was dozing on Natsu's face, Gajeel had two protective arms around Levy and Pantherlily, Evergreen was snuggled against Elfman, and Max and that goddamn broom again. But Lucy was nowhere to be seen.

_Where the heck did she go?_

* * *

For the first time, Lucy had been glad that Natsu and Gray got into a fight. The brawl had been the perfect cover for her to escape the guild, and just in the nick of time. Had she been there any longer she would have burst into tears in front of everyone and she didn't want to have to explain why.

It had been a month. An entire month since she had first heard the terrible news and she still couldn't keep her heart from breaking. She kept replaying the horrible moment she found out the truth in her mind, over and over again, wishing it could just go away, but knowing that she had to face the awful reality.

_"So what we read in that book is true?" Lucy struggled to hold on to the last thread of hope that one day Natsu would finally realize his love for her. She deeply loved the fire Dragon Slayer who had changed her life in so many ways, and he seemed to have given hints that he felt for her in more than just a friendship sort of way. True, he was a little immature, but she figured he'd grow out of it at some point and then she would welcome him with open arms. But ten years?_

_Levy McGarden nodded sadly. "I'm sorry Lu-chan, but Gajeel confirmed it to me. Dragon Slayers age at a different rate than the rest of us. What's only a few years to them can be decades for us. According to Gajeel, in dragon years Natsu is about twelve years old. It could be at least another ten years before he hits puberty, and even then, he'll be like a teenager and most likely not want to settle down and have a family yet."_

_It was like someone had ripped a hole in Lucy's heart. "But Gajeel isn't that much older than Natsu. Why is he ready to be __your__ boyfriend?" She didn't mean to attack her friend, but her grief made her angry._

_Levy looked down, for the first time ashamed instead of proud of her relationship with the iron Dragon Slayer Gajeel Redfox. "Gajeel is actually a lot older than Natsu," she explained. "So he's noticed girls for quite some time. As for being ready for a relationship, well," Levy blushed. "He's a possessive kind of guy."_

_"Ten years!" Tears ran down Lucy's face. "I was willing to wait for Natsu. But ten years! Levy-chan I'll be almost thirty by then! I could miss my chance to have a family if I wait that long!"_

_Levy couldn't help but shed a few tears herself for her friend's predicament. She so she wished her friend had the same happiness she was enjoying! "I know it doesn't seem fair! I'm so sorry!" The blue-haired girl wrapped her arms around her best friend and gave her a hug. "Whatever you decide, know that I'm here for you!"_

_"Th-thanks!"_

A month later, and Lucy still hadn't decided anything. She loved the fire boy with all her heart, but the thought of passing a decade waiting for him seemed unbearable. In her mind, the years ahead stretched out in front of her like an endless, lonely road – she getting older as she walked along it, while her flaming lover stayed exactly the same. Could her heart survive blazing for another ten years, or would it simply be burned to a crisp?

Lucy hugged herself as she walked home, taking in deep breaths to keep from crying before she could get to the safety of her apartment. Her celestial spirit, Plue, wobbled behind, keeping a quiet eye out for his owner who absentmindedly made her way through the streets of Magnolia, unheeding of the people who bustled around her.

Despite her best efforts, tears filled Lucy's eyes, blinding her for a brief moment. As she stopped to wipe them away she heard a loud scream, followed by the rumbling sound of horses' hooves. She looked wildly around to find the source of the commotion, and felt her stomach lurch when she saw a runaway coach heading through the cobblestone street, and straight for her.

Before she could think to move, two strong hands grabbed her from behind and yanked her out of the coach's destructive path. Falling backward into her unknown rescuer, Lucy could only watch in shock as the coach, wheels groaning and scraping against the ground, careened into a fruit stand and came to a screeching halt.

"Are you okay, miss?" asked a voice that seemed strangely familiar. She turned around to see that her knight in shining armor was a well-dressed, attractive young man with spiky dark-blond hair who looked at her with concern. "Hibiki!" she cried.

A look of surprised recognition spread over Hibiki Lates' handsome features. "Lucy! Why, I thought it was you!" He frowned as his ebony eyes searched her body for injuries. "Are you hurt?

"I'm fine," she said, dusting off her skirt as he helped her regain her balance. "But let's check and see if the passengers in that carriage are okay!"

Hibiki nodded. "Just what I was thinking! Come on!"

The two rushed over to the scene of the crash and were relieved to find that the carriage had held only the driver, who, other than a couple scrapes and bruises, was fine. The owner of the stand also turned out to be okay, sustaining only minor fruit injuries. Once assured of everyone's safety, the two mages helped to right back up the fruit stand, a task that earned them an apple each from the appreciative owner, an older woman who blushed whenever she spoke to Hibiki.

"I couldn't help noticing she gave you the bigger apple," Lucy teased to him as they walked back towards the road. Her greenish, scrawny apple looked almost comical next to his red, robust one. "You Trimens definitely know how to pile on the charm!"

Hibiki chuckled. "Well, being a member of Blue Pegasus does have its advantages!" He tossed his butterscotch-hued hair expertly, earning him appreciative glances from several female passersby. "Be that as it may, as a Trimens and a gentleman, I cannot let a beautiful girl like you have the smaller apple. I insist we trade!"

"Oh, please," she shook her head. "You deserve it! After all, you did rescue me back there." Her cheeks reddened a little in spite of herself. "I didn't get a chance to thank you for that yet, by the way."

With a flourish, the young man crossed his two arms over his chest in a "V" shape and gave her a smile that sent sparkles all around his head, and the girls around them into a tizzy. "Well, I know the perfect chance for you to thank me," he winked. "How about dinner tomorrow night?"

She planned to say no, like she had the many, many times before when Hibiki had asked her out on a date. The "N" was just about to form in her mouth, but something stopped her - the same something that had caused her to say no to Hibiki's previous offers in the past. And that something, was Natsu.

Lucy had always turned down Hibiki because she cared for Natsu. But if Natsu wasn't an option any time soon – if ever – then why should she say no? The alternative was another night crying into a pint of ice cream, which wasn't doing anything for her mood or her figure. Come to think of it, she doubted she had any food other than ice cream and a few top ramens in her cupboard at home, seeing as how her lack of missions lately had left both her pantry, and bank account, bare. She could really use a hot meal, and a distraction.

Natsu was already lost to her, in a way. What more did she have to lose?

Lucy took a breath and mustered the most sincere smile she could.

"Hibiki, I would love to!"


	2. Chapter 2

"Whaddya mean Erza took Natsu on an S-Class mission without inviting me and Lucy?!" Gray nearly spit out the coke that Mirajane Strauss had served to him at the bar when she told him the news. After sleeping off his hangover from the night before, the ice mage had finally made it into the guild in the late afternoon only to find his teammates nowhere in sight. "What the hell was she thinking?"

Mirajane calmly placed a slice of pizza in front of her growling guildmate. "I don't know, but I'm sure she had her reasons. And if you hadn't stayed up all night drinking and playing darts with Elfman you could have come into the guild earlier this morning and asked her yourself. Now eat your food before it gets cold."

"This is B.S.!" he fumed, oblivious to her scolding. He gripped the edge of the bar with enough force to turn his knuckles white. "Did she think I wasn't strong enough for the mission? Because I was chosen for the S-class exam too, you know!"

The blue-eyed beauty pursed her lips as she polished a fork with a white cloth bearing the guild's symbol in gold. "You know as well as I do that Erza takes S-class missions – and exams – very seriously. You just have to trust her, okay?"

He crossed his arms in disgust. "I can't believe this," he scowled. He gave her an icy glare. "You know, Lucy is not gonna be happy when she hears about this."

"Oh, Lucy knows about it," she hummed, carefully placing the newly polished fork next to its gleaming counterparts before picking up a tarnished spoon. "In fact, she was perfectly fine with them going without her. You should take after her example."

His jaw dropped. "Lucy knows too?" He threw up his arms in exasperation. "Oh that's just great. Wonderful. Why the hell am I the last one to know?"

Mirajane set the spoon down on the bar and sighed. "Gray, you are really making too much of this. Why don't you take this opportunity to relax for once?" She gave him a sweet smile. "You know, consider it a vacation of sorts!"

"Vacation, my ass!" he grumbled. Pushing away his plate, he took one last swig of his coke before hopping off the bar stool. "Sorry, Mira, but I lost my appetite."

She cocked an eyebrow. "And just where are you going off to?"

"Lucy's," he retorted. "I'm gonna find out why team decisions are now being made without me."

* * *

Gray took the stairs leading to Lucy's apartment two at a time before pounding on her front door. _"She better have a good explanation for this!"_ His navy blue eyes darkened as he imagined Natsu gloating about how he got to go on an S-class mission instead of him. That pink-haired jerk would never let him live it down!

He was about to pound on the door again when it was swung open by Lucy, who was wearing an ice-blue floor-length gown that was definitely not everyday guild attire. The silky fabric skimmed over her curvy figure to coyly reveal her right leg via a ruffled slit that climbed just above her knee, while the strapless bodice struggled to hug in her abundant cleavage. Her hair was also done up in a fancy bun that showed off two glittery earrings which gave her eyes a vibrant sparkle. She looked so incredibly pretty that for a moment, he was speechless.

At the sight of the ice wizard, the blonde cocked her head to one side and gave him a curious stare. "Gray's assessment of Lucy's dress," she said in an alien voice. "Color is his favorite. Leg slit is sexy but tasteful. Neckline makes her breasts look yummy."

"WHAT THE HELL?!" He jumped back in shock. "Wait a minute, that's not Lucy's voice!" His eyes narrowed. "Who are you?!"

The door opened wider to reveal standing behind it an impeccably dressed young man with strawberry-blond hair who smiled at the ice mage. "Ah, Gray!" he said, stylishly pushing his blue sunglasses up the bridge of his nose, "So good to see you! You remember Gemini, of course?"

Gray breathed a sigh of relief. "Loke!" He glared at the young woman. "And Gemini too, should have known."

With a poof, the blonde transformed into two small blue beings that hovered in the air and smiled gleefully at the ice-make mage. "Hi, Gray! Gray, hi!" they cried in unison.

"Wait a minute," Gray's brow furrowed. "Two celestial spirits? Is something wrong? Where's Lucy?"

Loke slapped Gray on the shoulder. "Relax, Lucy's fine! We're here to help her for a different reason this time. Come in, come in, join the party!" He pulled Gray into the apartment and closed the door behind them before turning to Gemini. "Please show Lucy that dress along with the other two I selected, that should help her narrow down her choices."

"Yes, Leo!" The two little spirits flew towards Lucy's bathroom and disappeared straight through the closed door, from behind which the swishing sound of scissors could be heard. "Not too short please, Cancer!" Gray could hear Lucy's muffled voice saying through the door, which was followed by another voice responding, "Yes, Lucy, ebi, ebi."

Loke sauntered across Lucy's living room towards her couch, hands in his pockets, while Gray trailed behind. "_He walks around like he owns the place," _Gray thought as he watched Loke seat himself regally at one end of the couch before motioning for Gray to join him. "It really is good to see you, man," Loke smiled.

"Good to see you, too." Gray reached over to give him a bro-fist before taking a seat opposite the celestial spirit. "So what's the deal? What are you helping Lucy with tonight?"

Loke's smile dimmed. "She's going on a date tonight and we're here to help her get ready."

"A date?" Gray gave him a puzzled frown. "But Natsu's off with Erza on an S-Class mission. How can she be going on a date?"

Loke pressed a finger to his lips for a moment to silence Gray then pointed at Lucy's bathroom door. "It's not with Natsu," he whispered.

Gray's eyebrows shot up. He was just about to answer when Virgo walked in from the kitchen carrying a tray that held a teapot, cups, and several cookies. "Why, thank you, my dear," Loke greeted the pink-haired celestial spirit maiden as she carefully placed the treats on the coffee table.

"You're welcome, Nii-san," she replied, pouring two cups of tea that she handed to the young men. After making sure they were settled she asked, "Will you need anything else, or may I go help the princess now?"

He patted her hand. "We're good. Lucy will probably have chosen a dress by now so you can go ahead and help her get ready." Virgo nodded and gave them a brief bow before heading towards the bathroom door, which she walked straight through just as Gemini had earlier, something that still managed to unnerve Gray no matter how many times he saw it.

He turned back to Loke, who was taking a sip from his teacup. "Not Natsu? But I thought for sure they were a done deal!"

"So did I. So did Lucy. So did everyone," said Loke ruefully as he set his cup down on the table. "Turns out he has the same problem I do."

Gray swallowed his bite of sugar cookie. "What do you mean?"

Loke ran his fingers through his spiky hair before peering up at Gray from above his glasses. "As you know, time works differently in the celestial spirit world than on Earth. One night in my home world equals three months here. What that means is that even though you and I seem to be the about the same age, technically I'm over a thousand years old in Earth time."

"What?!" Gray's teacup fell onto the tray with a clatter, spilling its contents across the coffee table. "Hold on, are you saying Natsu is over a thousand years old, too?"

"No, but it could very well be possible." Loke handed Gray a napkin to sop up the mess. "Natsu has dragon magic, which gives him many dragon-like qualities. And since dragons age at a slower rate than humans, that means that though he looks our age, maturity-wise he's still a kid. At this rate there's a good possibility he may never be ready for a romantic relationship in Lucy's lifetime."

Gray wiped down the coffee table before pouring himself another cup of tea. "Poor Luce. How did she take the news?"

"Not well," Loke sighed. "I can always feel when she's in distress and that day was…tough. All us celestial spirits rallied around her, even Aquarius, if you can believe it."

"Aquarius?" Gray looked doubtful. "I thought she hated Lucy!"

Loke chuckled. "Nah, that's all a front. Actually, she's jealous of her, which is why she gives her such a hard time. Believe me, Aquarius wants Lucy to be in a relationship. In her mind it's one less girl that she has to compete against for her boyfriend Scorpio." He looked over his shoulder nervously before leaning towards Gray. "Don't tell her I said that, though."

"Well that explains Lucy's mood lately," Gray frowned. "She's been so down in the dumps I've hardly recognized her."

Loke nodded. "Exactly. Which is why we're here to help. We want her to start getting out there and living life again. Natsu being off the market isn't the end of the world, especially not for our Lucy! There's lots of other fish in the sea."

Gray sneaked another sugar cookie from the tray. "So, who's the fish?"

"Hibiki Lates," said Loke, his lips pressed into a thin line.

"The Trimens?" Gray looked at him in disbelief. "You're kidding."

"Wish I was," grimaced Loke. "Don't get me wrong, I'm glad she's dating, but he's not exactly my first choice for Lucy, if you know what I mean." He leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees, causing his hair to fall over his eyes. "You, um, know he dated my previous owner, Karen Lilica, right?"

Gray nodded. Karen had been a member of the Blue Pegasus guild with Hibiki, and a celestial spirit mage like Lucy. She had owned both Loke – who was really the celestial spirit Leo – as well as the celestial spirit Aries, and treated them horribly. Loke tried to stop her from abusing Aries by refusing to go back to the celestial spirit world, a move which, to his horror, inadvertently caused Karen's death. In remorse, he banished himself to the Earth world and joined Fairy Tail, calling himself Loke. He secret was eventually found out, and he almost died for his mistake, but Lucy saved him. In return, he became her spirit and swore to protect her for the rest of her life.

Loke cleared his throat. "Yes, well, let's just say there some bad blood there. Also, I know from Karen that members of Blue Pegasus have different ideas about relationships and commitment." He looked up at Gray. "Do you know why he's called 'Hundred Night' Hibiki? It's because he once went on a date with a different girl each night for one hundred nights in a row. The only reason he stopped was because he got hurt on a mission. And even then some say he dated a couple nurses while he was in the hospital."

Gray smirked. "Well not everyone can limit themselves to only 50 girlfriends like you."

Loke closed his eyes as if reminiscing, a satisfied grin spreading over face. "Ah yes, the good old days!" He opened one eye and burst out laughing at the wry look Gray gave him. "Hey, I only acted like that because I thought all humans did," he explained. "Karen was the most recent example I had to go on. But Lucy is not like that, and I just think she deserves better than a playboy."

"I hear you on that," said Gray, setting down his empty teacup. "So if he's not your first choice then who is?"

"Actually," Loke chuckled, "you are."

Gray sat up with a jolt. "ME?" His look of disbelief faded into a knowing grin as he leaned back into the couch with a laugh. "Good one man, you totally had me there for a second!"

"I'm being serious." Loke picked up a loose cushion from the couch and gave it a squeeze. "I know what it means to be a Fairy Tail wizard. I know what it means to be nakama. The fact that you're both in Fairy Tail, and on the same team, means you two have an unbreakable bond. You were also my best friend here on Earth, and I know what kind of man you are. " He pointed at Gray from across the couch. "I know, if push came to shove, you'd die for Lucy, without question."

Gray looked back at Loke but didn't respond. He didn't have to. The celestial spirit was right on about all of that, and damn it, he knew it, too.

"I also know," Loke went on as he toyed with the cushion, "that you think Lucy is cute. And I know that Juvia Lockser finally gave up on snagging you and has been dating Lyon Bastia for about an Earth month now, to which I would say I was sorry but I know you really didn't care for her in that way. Am I right?"

Gray grimaced this time, thinking about how he'd been the latest subject of the Fairy Tail rumor mill for that very reason. The whispers, comments, and jokes that had swirled around him from the other guildmembers had grated on him for weeks. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Fair enough," Loke conceded with a nod, "but with Juvia and Natsu out of the picture, that leaves the stage clear for you to pursue Lucy, if you wanted to." He tossed the cushion at Gray, who caught it mid-air. "The choice is yours, my friend. Think about it."

The creak of the bathroom door signaled the entrance of Lucy, who walked into the room wearing the same dress and updo Gray saw her, or rather, Gemini wearing earlier. He knew it was Lucy this time, because the two blue spirits hovered into the room behind her, followed by Virgo and Cancer.

"Gray!" Lucy's brown eyes widened in surprise at the presence of her teammate. "I was wondering why Loke had been gone so long! What are you doing here?"

The sweet sight of Lucy in her dress caused Gray's mind to traitorously wander to what it would be like if he were the one going out on the date with her instead of Hibiki. At her confused look at how long he was taking to respond, he cursed Loke under his breath for planting such crazy ideas in his head. "Er, uh, oh yeah," he stammered, standing up from the couch. "Erza took Natsu on an S-class mission without us and I wanted to talk to you about it." As the words spilled from his mouth he realized how petty the reason for his visit now seemed. He reddened a little. "Sorry to have intruded."

To his further embarrassment, Lucy reddened a little herself at his explanation. "Oh, that. Well, um, actually, they're not really on an S-class mission." She gave him a sheepish look. "Erza only said that to get Natsu to go with her. I was worried he would ruin my date tonight by showing up here and embarrassing me somehow and so Erza offered to distract him. In our rush we totally forgot about how it would seem to you. Sorry! "

Gray inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. "Don't worry about it," he shrugged to her, "no big deal."

Loke jumped up from the couch and walked over to Lucy where he gave her an appreciative once-over. "You look enchanting, my dear! An absolute vision of loveliness!" He put his arm around her shoulders and turned towards the ice wizard. "Doesn't she look divine, Gray?"

Gray's navy blue eyes glared daggers at the celestial spirit whose hazel eyes danced back at him in mirth from behind his glasses. Noticing that Lucy was looking at him expectantly, the ice wizard frantically searched his brain for a compliment that would please her without making Loke think he got to him. "You look…good," he finally managed.

Lucy blinked. "Good?" She shook her head in disbelief. "Two hours of getting ready and all he can say is 'good'," she muttered to herself.

"Good enough to eat of course!" soothed Loke. "And I have to agree with him, if I do say so myself. In fact," he twined his arm around her waist, "you look far too good for that Hibiki fellow. What say you dump him and spend the evening with me? I can't help but notice he bears a striking resemblance to yours truly."

The blonde blushed as she pushed Loke away. "You stop that," she scolded, smiling in spite of herself.

In a cloud of smoke, Lucy's celestial spirit Horologium burst into the room. "It is now the hour of the appointed meeting!" declared the grandfather clock.

Lucy covered her cheeks with her hands. "Oh no, Hibiki will be here any minute!" She pushed Loke and Gray towards the door. "Everyone needs to get out, especially you two! What's he going to think if he gets here and sees two guys in my apartment?"

"He'll probably think you're in high demand and like you even more," snarked Loke.

"Out!" Lucy protested, shoving the two young men towards the door but failing to move the stubborn pair even one inch. Sighing, she marched over to the door and swung it open only to find herself face to face with none other than the Blue Pegasus mage himself. "Hibiki!" she squeaked.

The Trimens' right arm was raised as though ready to knock, while his left arm held a bouquet of flowers. His ebony eyes shone with surprise. "Oh, Lucy! Hi!" His smile at the blonde turned into a look of confusion as he looked past her to see Loke and Gray studying him intently. "Is this, uh, a bad time?" he asked.

"Not at all," said Lucy, regaining her composure. As she pushed Hibiki into the apartment in front of her she mouthed "OUT!" to Gray and Loke from behind him. "They were just leaving."

Hibiki froze as he recognized Loke. "Leo," he said, his jaw tightening.

"Hibiki," the celestial spirit nodded curtly in return before walking over to Lucy and taking her hand. "Have a good night my dear and remember, if you need me, just call." Giving her a parting wink he then turned to Gray. "See you later, man. Don't forget what I said." Before the ice wizard could respond, Loke disappeared in a sparkle of stardust.

Lucy gave Gray a puzzled look. "Forget what?"

"Nothing," said Gray, walking past the couple to the door. "By the way, be careful out there tonight. I heard there's a new gang of criminals in Magnolia and I'd hate for you to get in a fight trying to protect your date."

Hibiki tossed his hair. "Don't worry, Lucy will be safe with me!"

"Actually, she's the one I was talking to," shot Gray from over his shoulder. "See ya, Luce!"

* * *

In a dark alley next to the finest restaurant in Magnolia, a pink-haired maiden quietly approached a strawberry-blond young man who leaned against the side of the brick building with a casual air. As he turned his head towards the girl, a black cat wove in and out of his legs, purring contentedly against his finely tailored trousers before stopping to lick its paw.

"Is everyone in place?" he asked from the shadows.

She nodded at him in response. "Yes, Nii-san. But are you sure about this? I have a feeling the princess will not be happy when she finds out."

"Our job is to protect her," he reassured her. "We are only doing our job."

She gave him a hopeful look. "If she is angry will I be punished?"

"Maybe," he grinned back at her as he pushed his blue sunglasses up the bridge of his nose.

A wicked gleam sparkled from her blue eyes. "Then let us begin!"

"Yes," he said. "Let's."


	3. Chapter 3

Lucy was having dinner at the fanciest, most expensive restaurant in Magnolia, with a mage who was frequently listed by _Sorcerer's Weekly _magazine as the top "Wizard You'd Most Like to Have as a Boyfriend."

And she was miserable.

Not that the restaurant didn't live up to its reputation. Having grown up as the only daughter of one of the richest men in Fiore, Lucy knew elegance and sophistication when she saw it. Golden chandeliers hung from the plastered ceilings, fresh flowers overflowed from outsized vases, and a string quartet played classical music from a small stage that was situated next to a picture window that offered breathtaking views of the nearby river. Even her spring salad had been served on what she knew was the finest china imported from nearby Bosco.

But having grown up eating at places like this, Lucy also knew how empty and shallow they could be too. Rich people with more money than love were the most frequent visitors to these kinds of establishments, where they gathered to show off their fine clothes and expensive jewelry and criticize each other behind fake smiles and air kisses. Restaurants like this were, in fact, part of why she had run away from home in the first place.

Lucy's stomach growled in complaint at the meager salad that she munched on, reminding her of another reason she didn't care for fancy restaurants. More often than not, they dished out tiny portions of food at outrageous prices, leaving both your belly, and wallet, empty. What she wouldn't give for a sticky caramade frank right about now!

She smiled to herself thinking about the last time she'd had a caramade frank. It was just after a mission, and she and her teammates had been starving after their battle. Natsu had shoved at least five into his mouth at once, while Erza terrified the vendor by using a giant sword to slice hers into perfectly portioned bites. Gray, of course, had stripped off his clothes to keep the syrup from getting on his pants and shirt, stopping at his boxers only when Lucy started shrieking.

_Gray_. Lucy's brow furrowed at the thought of her puzzling teammate. What was with him anyway? Yesterday, when she was still in a funk over Natsu and had hardly paid any attention to her clothes and makeup, he had complimented her on her looks, something which she couldn't remember him ever doing before. But today, when she was all dolled up and dressed to the nines, he could barely be bothered to tell her she looked nice. Would she ever figure him out?

"Something wrong?" asked Hibiki as he poured dressing onto his salad from a small inlaid silver pitcher. "Pretty girls should never frown."

Lucy sat up straight, her reverie broken. "Oh, no, I'm fine, thanks," she mustered a smile. "Just couldn't remember if I left the teapot on," she fibbed. "I didn't."

"Good," he smiled back, patting her on the arm. "I'd hate to think I was a terrible host."

"Excuse me," interrupted a pretty brunette who appeared by the table between the couple, holding a notebook and pen in her hand. Lucy looked up at the girl who stared at Hibiki as though she were starving and he was the restaurant's special of the day. "Yes?" Lucy answered her politely.

The girl simpered at Hibiki, ignoring Lucy's question, and person, completely. "Are you Hibiki Lates of Blue Pegasus?"

The archive mage hooked his arm over the back of his chair and gave the girl his most charming grin. "Why, yes, I am as a matter of fact."

"I knew it!" squealed the girl, jumping up and down. "I have such a crush on you! Could I have your autograph, pretty please?"

Hibiki adjusted his tie before taking the girl's notebook in hand. "But of course," he winked, "anything for a fan."

Lucy stifled a groan. She knew Hibiki was popular among the ladies, but this was starting to get ridiculous. At least ten girls had come up to him asking for his autograph or a photo since they had started their date, and they weren't even on the main course of their dinner yet.

"Some more water, princess, er, I mean, miss?" asked a familiar voice from the other side of Lucy. The blonde turned around and was stunned to see that the waitress who held a pitcher of water in her hands was her celestial spirit, Virgo, who was dressed in the uniform of the restaurant's wait staff.

"Virgo!" Lucy whispered in alarm, "What are you doing here?" She shot a quick glance at Hibiki who was too busy chatting with the brunette to notice. "I'm on a date right now!"

The pink-haired maiden gave her a brief bow. "I am sorry princess, but it is on Nii-san's orders that I am here." She leaned towards Lucy. "He said we are here to protect you. Will I be punished now?" she asked hopefully.

"Loke!" groaned Lucy, shaking her fist inwardly at her lion spirit who she knew was laughing at her from somewhere in the celestial spirit world. She glanced at Hibiki again and saw that he was now posing for photos for the brunette who had somehow produced a camera. She turned back to Virgo. "No, there won't be punishment but you have to leave right now!"

"Here is your soup, miss," said a tremulous voice from behind Virgo, which belonged to another pretty, pink-haired young woman, but one who sported two twisty horns on either side of her head. She too wore a waitress uniform like Virgo, as well as a violent blush on her cheeks.

Lucy facepalmed. "Aries too? Just how many of you are here?" she hissed to the two spirits.

Aries placed the bowl of soup timidly in front of Lucy before raising her fist to her mouth. "I am sorry, but we all are."

"All of you?" Lucy's eyes widened in horror. "Even…?"

Before she could finish asking the question it was terrifyingly answered when a gigantic blue mermaid emerged from Lucy's bowl of miso soup and towered ominously over Hibiki and the brunette, who was now perched on his lap taking pictures of the two of them together.

"Aquarius!" Lucy gasped, covering her mouth.

"HOW DARE YOU FLIRT WITH ANOTHER GIRL WHILE ON A DATE WITH LUCY!" roared the celestial spirit. The brunette fell off Hibiki's lap while the young man gulped in fear at the look of sheer rage on Aquarius's face. "It's, it's all a misunderstanding!" he stammered at the spirit, waving his arms protectively in front of him. "I wasn't flirting!"

"OH YES YOU WERE!" Aquarius raised her magic jar full of ocean water. "NOW I WILL TEACH YOU HOW TO TREAT A LADY!"

Virgo and Aries grabbed Lucy by each arm. "Princess, come! Run, now!"

But it was too late. Aquarius flung her arms, sending a sea of salt water flooding through the crowded restaurant. The powerful waves crashed against tables, chairs and windows, scattering patrons and smashing china in their thunderous wake. Lucy was swept up in the terrible tide as it rose and fell, sending the massive chandeliers to the floor, one by shattered one, until in a final cacophonous blow, the picture window burst, sending the frigid waters in a cascade to the river below.

Lucy lay against the intricately tiled restaurant floor, coughing and sputtering as the waters drained around her. Struggling to her feet, the soaked blonde looked around in dismay at the destruction inflicted by her angry, protective spirit. Not even the aftermath of one of Fairy Tail's rowdiest parties could compare to this disaster site!

Suddenly, Lucy found herself engulfed in shadow. Turning slowly around, she gulped at the frightening sight of the menacing mermaid looming over her in fury.

"AS FOR YOU!" Aquarius pointed an accusing finger at Lucy, "DON'T YOU EVER GO OUT WITH A CAD LIKE HIM AGAIN! AND IF I EVER FIND YOU SUMMONING ME FROM ANOTHER BOWL OF SOUP SO HELP ME I'LL SPANK YOU SO HARD YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO SIT DOWN FOR A MONTH!"

"But I didn't summon you!" protested Lucy, cringing under the blue-haired spirit's tirade. Aquarius' only response was to give her owner a piercing glare before disappearing back to the celestial spirit world in a huff.

Lucy breathed a sigh of relief at Aquarius' exit, thankful she hadn't received the brunt of the attack. Stumbling in her sopping dress, she scanned the trashed scene for Hibiki, who she spotted on the other side of the room lying face down in a bowl of pudding and missing his pants. _"Oh no!" _

"My restaurant!" wailed the chef, his moustache dripping down his face as he surveyed the obliterated dining room. "It is ruined!" Spying Lucy, he pointed at her and shouted furiously, "YOU! You are the one responsible for this!"

"Eep!" squeaked Lucy. _"I have to get out of here!"_ She turned to grab hold of Virgo and Aries but found they had disappeared, her magic that they used to appear in the Earth world apparently now used up. Frantic, she scrambled over the debris towards the door as the chef's shouts trailed after her. "Stop her! Someone stop her!"

Just as she was about to make it to the door, the ruffled slit in her dress got caught on the jagged edge of a broken glass table. Pulling with both hands, she ripped her dress, tearing off the bottom half to free herself. With one last glance at the destruction left behind her, she ran straight out the doorway, into the street, and smack dab into the chest of a passerby.

Grabbing hold of the stranger's arms for balance, she looked up into startled navy blue eyes that widened in recognition. "Lucy?!"

"Gray!"

* * *

As a member of the most reckless wizard guild in Fiore, Gray knew that from time to time he'd have to bail out his fellow guildmates from a scrape or two, and vice-versa. Magic and mayhem were just part of being a mage in Fairy Tail. So when he ran to investigate the deafening sound of exploding windows and crumbling walls of what could only be a building being demolished, only to have a half-drowned Lucy race out of said building and crash into his arms, he didn't ask questions.

"Come on," he moved into ice-make stance. "Let's get the hell out of here!"

Using his magic, he created a wall of ice to seal the doorway against the rabid chef that was chasing Lucy out of the restaurant. Then, grabbing her hand, he raced her through the streets of Magnolia, taking shortcuts that they had used after other missions in which the "strongest team in Fairy Tail" had gotten carried away.

Turning into a dark alley, Gray leaned up against a wall of a building and pulled Lucy in on the other side of him. Cautiously, he peeked around the building's corner and was relieved to see that they had lost anyone who could have possibly gone after them.

"The coast is clear," he breathed, relaxing against the wall. He then eyed his blonde teammate who looked absolutely nothing like the graceful girl he had left a couple hours before. Her floor length gown was now a wet and ragged minidress, her neat updo a fallen tangle of twisty tendrils against her neck, and her glittery earrings long gone.

"You, uh, wanna tell me what happened?"

She slumped against the wall. "Loke happened," she groaned, covering her forehead with her hand. "He sent all the celestial spirits to look after me without my permission! Which would have been okay except Hibiki had to go and flirt with one girl, which made Aquarius angry, and, and…do I need to even tell you the rest?"

He cocked an eyebrow. "Just one girl?"

"Fine, eleven girls," she glared. "At any rate, now the restaurant is destroyed, I'll probably have to pay for the damages, and my date is lying in the wreckage pantsless and covered in pudding!"

The corner of his mouth twisted into a smirk. That was all it took. Lucy collapsed into a fit of giggles at the exact same time Gray burst out laughing, the two friends in hysterics over the picture she had just painted.

"It's…not…funny!" she panted through her hilarity as tears streamed down her face.

He doubled over in laughter. "Oh…yes…it…is!" he gasped.

A loud growl from her stomach interrupted their mirth, reminding her of how she hadn't gotten past the skimpy salad course in the restaurant. "What a night!" she sighed. "My dress is ruined, my hair is a mess, and I didn't even get to finish dinner! I must be the worst date ever recorded in the history of dates!"

"Hey, you stop that," he admonished her with a frown. "First of all that jerk deserved everything he got. A guy who asks a girl on a date but then flirts with eleven other girls is a grade A asshole in my opinion. Second, that dress is too fancy for you anyway. Third, your hair doesn't look any worse than it has after one of our missions. And fourth," he hooked his thumb over his shoulder, "if you're hungry what say we hit up that caramade frank cart at the park by your house, my treat?"

"You are totally reading my mind!" she rubbed her stomach in anticipation. "I would LOVE a caramade frank!"

"Alright," he nodded towards the street, "let's go!"

After a quick glance at their surroundings to make sure they weren't being followed, the pair headed in the direction of Lucy's apartment. It wasn't long before the familiar sweet and savory aroma of their sought after treat hit their nostrils, making her mouth water. While the vendor did raise his eyebrows as the state of Lucy's outfit when they approached him, it only took one look at the guildmark on her hand for him to simply shrug it off mentally as "those crazy Fairy Tail kids" and cook up their orders.

With franks and drinks secured, the two settled at a nearby park bench and proceeded to dig in. As they sat munching in companionable silence, a soccer ball rolled across the grass towards their bench, which was trailed after by a pink-haired little boy who sported grass stains on both knees of his pants. Gray stopped the ball with his foot before kicking it back to the youngster, who gave him a wide, toothy grin. "Thanks, mister!" he cried, waving enthusiastically before running back towards his mother, ball in hand.

Gray looked over at Lucy, who gazed wistfully after the rosy-haired boy. Swallowing his last bite of frank, he took a quick swig of his coke before crushing the can. "Um…sorry about Natsu," he said quietly.

She shot him a startled glance. "How…?"

"Loke told me," he explained. "And if it's any consolation, I think he's an idiot."

She smiled faintly. "By 'he' I'm guessing you mean Natsu, not Loke. And you've always thought he was an idiot."

"True," he admitted with a slight grin. "But especially with this."

She carefully wiped her mouth with her napkin before placing it back on her lap. She sighed. "I wish I could blame it on his stupidity, but I can't. He can't help his maturity level, so I can't be angry at him." Her shoulders drooped. "It's just sometimes it's hard to convince your heart of what your brain knows, you know?"

He nodded. "I know what you mean." He ran his fingers through his spiky, dark hair. "It was kinda like that with me and Juvia."

She almost choked on her bite of caramade frank. _He was going to talk about Juvia? _ She took a quick swallow and tried not to cough. "Oh?" she finally managed, trying to ask as casually as she could.

He leaned back against the bench and looked up at the starry sky. "Yeah. I used to wonder what was wrong with me that I couldn't like her back as much as she liked me. I mean, my brain knows that she's a good catch. Sweet. Loyal. Pretty. Everything a guy could ask for." He shook his head. "But my heart just wasn't feeling it."

She chewed thoughtfully. "I see," she said, swallowing the last bite of her frank. She glanced at him as he continued to gaze at the sky. "So, uh…why do you think it wasn't?"

"Well…she's too clingy for one," he said after a pause. "I'm used to strong girls like Erza, Mira, Cana and you. But Juvia was always weak around me, which was a real turnoff." His brow furrowed in unease. "Plus the whole stalking thing just creeped me out big time. Everywhere I went I never knew if I was being watched or not. It was a weird feeling," he shuddered.

"Yeah, I could see that," she said, toying with her napkin in her lap. "Then I guess you weren't upset when she started dating Lyon, huh?"

"Nah," he shrugged. "I'm happy for her. He's all about her and she totally deserves that. Just wish it was someone else though." His eyes darkened slightly. "He's such a jackass and thinks he put one over on me by getting her and likes to rub it in. But otherwise it's cool. It's just weird that she could be so into me one minute then over me the next."

She smiled to herself. It was obvious his ego was a little hurt, despite what he said. She then looked up at the stars too, searching for an answer that would suit both their problems. "You know, mama used to say that things happen for a reason," she began. "Maybe Juvia's liking you was just fate's way of making her join Fairy Tail and nothing more. Being part of our guild definitely made her life better, and Fairy Tail stronger."

His eyebrows shot up. "Never thought of it that way," he mused. "But then, maybe that's the same for you and Natsu. Maybe he was just fate's way of getting you to join Fairy Tail too. I know for a fact it made everything better for a lot of people." He gave her a quick glance. "Me included."

She felt her face warm at his admission. "You don't have to say that just to make me feel better, you know."

"I know," he replied, looking at her in earnest. "And I didn't."

A slight breeze blew by, causing her to shiver. He looked down at her torn and still damp dress and scolded himself inwardly for not realizing how cold she was.

"Come on," he said, standing up from the bench and stretching. "We gotta get you home." Turning towards her, he took off his coat and held it out, "Here, put this on."

She reached for the coat gratefully, then hesitated. "But won't you be cold?"

He looked at her in disbelief. "Did you seriously just ask me that question?"

"Well, it is chilly tonight…" she trailed politely.

"Stop arguing and take the darn coat already," he grumbled, placing it around her shoulders before she could protest further. "Geez, I'd think you'd be glad I have any clothes left on to offer you at all."

A teasing grin spread over her face. "Why, Gray Fullbuster! I do believe that was a joke!"

"Hmph. I make jokes all the time. Not my fault you're a blonde who doesn't get them," he smirked.

She pushed her arms through the coat sleeves. "Oh! You're gonna pay for that!"

"Gotta catch me first!" he gloated, racing off towards her apartment.

She shot after him with a smile. "Don't think I can't, ice boy!"

The duo ran through the cobblestone streets, Gray slowing down every so often to let Lucy just almost catch him and give him a swat or two before speeding up. It was a quick chase, and they reached her building far sooner than they expected.

After catching their breath, she beamed up at him. "Thank you, Gray."

"For what?" he asked, thinking how she looked way prettier in that moment with her flushed cheeks, sparkling eyes, and wearing his coat than when she had first left her apartment with Hibiki.

"For helping me escape that chef. For buying me dinner. For cheering me up. For all of it. You're the best!" Impulsively, she leaned up and planted a kiss on his cheek.

Stunned at her action, the two mages stared at each other in shock, wild blushes spreading on both their cheeks.

"Sorry, it's just that's how I always used to say goodnight to Natsu force of habit I guess hahaha see you tomorrow!" And with that, Lucy ran into her apartment and slammed the door behind her before Gray could say anything.

He stood there, frozen in place, his hand slowly rising to touch his cheek.

"Did she just kiss me?"


	4. Chapter 4

"And then I kissed him!" Lucy groaned into her hands, wanting to hide under the table she shared with Levy. The blonde had been hijacked by her petite best friend as soon as she had walked into the guild for the specific purpose of spilling all the details of her date with Hibiki. By the look on Lucy's face, Levy knew they were going to be juicy, but nothing could have prepared her for this!

"You kissed Gray?!" Levy took off her gale-force reading glasses and stared at her blonde friend in astonishment over the mass of books she had been studying before Lucy walked in. "No way!"

Lucy nodded from behind her hands, too embarrassed to look Levy in the eye. "It's true!" she squeaked. "And don't ask me why, cuz I've been up all night thinking about it and I still don't know the answer! It just sorta _happened_!"

"Wow! Gray, of all people!" The bluenette pursed her lips in thought as she tapped her glasses against the one clear spot on the table not covered with literature. "Who woulda guessed?"

"Not me, that's for sure!" Lucy sighed as she scanned Levy's collection of books splayed out in front of her, hoping that one of the titles would be _What to Do When You Spontaneously Kiss Your Teammate for No Apparent Reason. _"Isn't it terrible?"

"Actually, kissing Gray Fullbuster doesn't sound that terrible to me!" Levy gave her a devilish smirk as she organized her books into a neat little stack. "Natsu may be a fire mage but I always thought Gray was the hotter one!"

Lucy frowned at Levy's lightheartedness. How could she be joking at a time like this? "But Levy-chan!" she agonized, opening the book nearest to her before slamming it shut again in frustration, "how could I kiss Gray when I care for Natsu?"

"The heart works in mysterious ways," Levy shrugged, taking out her light force pen and using it to write the word "chocolate" on the table. "Like with me and Gajeel. You would think that I would hate him after what he did to me, Jet, and Droy when he was in the Phantom Lord guild. And yet, here I am, crazy in love with the jerk! Besides," she broke off a piece of the word which had magically hardened into candy and handed it to Lucy, "it's not like you cheated on Natsu because technically you're not his girlfriend."

"Thanks for the reminder," Lucy grumbled, taking the chocolate from her friend and shoving it in her mouth in hopes the sweetness of the candy would cancel the bitterness in her heart. While Lucy munched in thought, Levy took a quick glance around the guildhall to make sure no one was listening to their conversation. "So," she lowered her voice conspiratorially, "how was it?"

Lucy's forehead scrunched in confusion. "What do you mean how was it?"

"I mean, like, was it quick? Lingering? Was his breath cold?" Levy leaned towards her_. "Were tongues involved?"_

"LEVY-CHAN!"

"Hey, you can't just drop a bomb like that and not give the deets!" Levy placed her chin on her hands, giving Lucy her full attention. "And sorry to say, but for an aspiring writer your description is pretty lacking so far, Lu!"

Lucy felt her cheeks getting hot. "Well, there isn't anything to describe!" she protested, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "I didn't KISS him, kiss him, it was just a quick peck on the cheek."

"A quick peck on the cheek? That's it?" Levy sat up and waved at her friend dismissively. "That's no big deal!"

"But you weren't there when he was talking about Juvia stalking him, and how creepy he thought it was!" Lucy covered her face again with her hands. "Now he's gonna think I'm stalking him too!"

"Hmm. Well, look at it this way," Levy offered, "it took him forever to figure out Juvia was stalking him, he probably hasn't even thought twice about you doing it too!"

"As if it wasn't hard enough for me to be around Natsu on missions, now Gray is going to be weirded out being around ME!" moaned Lucy into her hands, not hearing. "My team is falling apart! What am I gonna doooo?"

Levy gave her friend a comforting pat on the back. "Aw come on, you know Gray's not like that. Really, you're worrying over nothing!"

"I've got it!" Lucy grabbed onto Levy's hand, a wild look in her eyes. "Maybe if I go around kissing other guildmembers on the cheek, then Gray will think that it's just something I do for everyone, and not about him at all!"

"Then you can count me out, I like the taste of bookworms better than bunnies," growled a voice from behind Lucy's chair.

"Gajeel!" Levy beamed at the sound of her boyfriend's voice. The surly look on his face softened slightly as he leaned down to plant a proprietary kiss on Levy's forehead before plopping himself next to her at their table.

"By the way, bunny, good work on trashin' that restaurant." Gajeel crossed his arms behind his head and gave Lucy a knowing smirk. "I always hated that fancy-schmancy place. Couldn't have wrecked it better myself!"

A wave of nausea crashed in Lucy's stomach. "How on earth did you find out?" she gulped.

"Are you kiddin'? The whole town's talkin' about it! In fact," he pulled a newspaper from his back pocket and tossed it at her, "it's on the front page of the _Times_. Bought that for you, shrimp," he added to Levy, dragging her chair closer to his to drape his arm along the back of it.

With shaking hands Lucy grabbed the paper from the tabletop. "MAGNOLIA'S FAMED 'RIVERBEND' RESTAURANT DESTROYED!" screamed the headline. "BLONDE FAIRY TAIL MAGE CLAIMED TO BE RESPONSIBLE! WILL NO ONE STOP THIS GUILD'S REIGN OF MAYHEM?" As if that weren't bad enough, a photo of Hibiki using a menu to cover his naked nether regions blazed underneath the headline with the caption, "_Blue Pegasus mage in need of female comfort following traumatic experience_."

Lucy slumped face down onto the table. "This is worse than I thought!" she wailed. "I wish I could just disappear!"

"Disappear, huh?" Gray's voice sent a thrill down Lucy's spine. "Then I guess I won't need to convince you too hard to join me on this mission to Snowdrop Village?"

Lucy raised her head to see Gray standing by their table and holding up a request from the mission board towards her. "Whaddya say?"

She didn't even bother to read it. "Wherever! I don't care! Just get me out of here!"

* * *

It had been a bad idea, Gray decided.

He blamed Loke, of course. Maybe lack of sleep had something to do with it, but it was definitely Loke's fault. If the celestial spirit hadn't put that insane thought into his head of him and Lucy being a couple, he wouldn't have thought twice about that little kiss she had given him. After all, he knew it was just a friendly, innocent thing. Any other time he would have just blown it off as Lucy's over enthusiasm and slept like a log when he got home. Instead, he had tossed and turned through the night, his cheek blazing hotly against his pillow as blonde hair and brown eyes floated in and out of his consciousness and stole his dreams.

Obviously his sleep-deprived brain would think that the best way to remind himself that he and Lucy were just friends was to suggest he go on a mission with her. Working as teammates again would definitely put her back into his mind as just another Fairy Tail nakama, especially with Natsu and Erza around.

But when he heard the townspeople chatter about the restaurant Lucy ruined on his way to the guild, and then saw her crumbled at a table in despair when he got there, he knew he couldn't wait for Erza and Natsu to come back. So he grabbed the first decent-looking mission he could find and offered her a way out.

The journey started out normal enough. The pair caught the next available train to Bluebell Lake and sat side by side for the first time in he couldn't remember how long. Usually on missions Natsu would nab the seat next to both Lucy and the window, where he would sit motion-sick as she tended to him, while Erza and Gray sat across and discussed strategy. This time though, Lucy got the window seat and Gray sat next to her.

At first she had looked out the window with a pensive frown, her mind clouded by worrisome thoughts of her predicament. But as she watched the scenery fly by, she began to brighten little by little and soon started to chat with him about what she saw. His own spirits began to lift as he saw the smile return to her face, and he found himself pulled into her animated conversation.

"Look at that farmer's funny hat!" she giggled, pointing at a gigantic sunhat in the most outrageous colors Gray had ever seen atop the head of a squat man in denim overalls. "Now where do you suppose he got that?"

Gray shook his head in mock horror as they passed by the farming fashion disaster. "I don't think I wanna know."

"I know! Let's come up with a story on how he got it!" Lucy clapped her hands together. "I'll start off first and then when I stop you pick up the story from there."

Settling back into his seat, Gray crossed his arms behind his head and closed his eyes. "Count me out. You're the writer, not me. I'll just read it later with all your other stories you keep hidden under your bed."

"WHAT?" Lucy's eyes blazed with indignation as she poked him in the shoulder. "How do you know where I keep those stories? Were you snooping around my apartment?"

He opened one lazy eye and chuckled at the offended look on her face. "Relax! Natsu found 'em and I just happened to be by when he did."

"Well, you better not be reading them! I promised Levy that she'd be the first person to read my book," she grumbled, flopping back against her seat in exasperation. Taking a sidelong peek at him she asked hesitantly, "You haven't really read them, have you?"

Realizing that a feisty Lucy was better than a depressed one, he decided to tease her some more by pretending to be asleep and giving out a loud snore. It was all he could do not to burst out laughing at the loud, annoyed sigh she gave in response to his feigned nap.

He didn't have far to fake it, though. The lull of the train's engine and motion, combined with lack of sleep, soon made him drowsy. At some point he must have dozed off, because he found himself jarred awake by a jerk of the train as it crossed over a bridge.

"Hmmph?" Gray heard Lucy softly moan. He turned his head and felt his heart nearly jump out of his chest when he saw that she had fallen asleep against him. As she drifted back into dreamland, she nestled her head more snugly on his shoulder and twined her arm through his, drawing him closer to her.

But that wasn't the worst part. The worst part, he realized with a jolt, was that _he liked it._

Yup, totally bad idea. Stupid Loke.

The train's whistle pierced the air, signaling that they were arriving at their destination. At the shrill sound, Lucy pulled away from Gray and sat up. "Oh! I must have fallen asleep!" she yawned. "Are we there yet?"

"Just arrived," he said, pretending to himself that he didn't miss the warmth of her body against his. "Were you comfy?" He gave her a slight grin.

"Very," she smiled as she stretched her arms above her head, then froze. A look of embarrassed shock spread over her pretty features. "Oh no! I fell asleep on you didn't I? I'm so sorry!"

"It's cool," he shrugged. "No big deal."

She turned her head away from him to avoid his gaze. "You're just being nice, I know. I really am sorry. I promise I won't bother you like that again."

He frowned. Why was she so apologetic? Had he said something wrong? "If it bothered me," he said, his voice serious, "I would have said so."

She turned her face back to him, eyes widening in surprise. Her lips breathed open as a deep blush spread over her cheeks. "Gray…"

"Last call for Bluebell Lake!" bellowed a mustachioed ticket taker as he shuffled down the aisle towards their row. "This is our final destination!" The tall uniformed man stopped at their seat and gave the pair a hard stare. "You kids, scoot! This train has to turn around and head back to Magnolia, we ain't got all day!"

"Guess that's our cue." Gray stood up and extended a hand out to Lucy. "Come on, we still gotta cross Bluebell Lake if we want to get to Snowdrop Village before nightfall."

"Yeah," she nodded, pulling herself up by his hand.

* * *

The open air train depot hummed with activity, the sound of steam engines and bustling travelers filling the air. Lucy followed Gray through the crowd, looking around herself in awe at the chaos surrounding them. Vendors sold trinkets, coachmen called for passengers, and families tugged at children and suitcases, creating a virtual maze of people that they struggled to navigate through like salmon swimming upstream.

While Gray paused to read an overhead sign, Lucy caught a shimmering flash of blue out of the corner of her eye. Turning her head to the sight, she discovered the depot was situated right at the edge of Bluebell Lake itself. With a gasp, she ran straight to the wrought iron fence that bordered the depot to get a closer look at the glistening crystal waters.

"Look at all the bluebells!" she beckoned to Gray, pointing at the azure flowers that dotted the rolling hills surrounding the lake. "They're everywhere!" As he approached, she took in a deep breath of the crisp, clean air before turning to him with a smile. "How beautiful!"

_"I'll say_," he thought, looking at her brightened face for a moment before shaking the renegade thought out of his head. "Yeah, it is pretty nice. And you'll get a closer look when we take the ferry to Snowdrop Village."

"Ferry?" Her smile faded into a worrisome frown. "Is that the only way to get there?"

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Um, how else are we gonna get across the lake?"

"Well, you know how on boats Natsu gets motion…" she began, then stopped, her hand slowly rising to cover her mouth as the realization of what she was saying hit her.

"Natsu isn't here," he finished for her, jaw tense. It was obvious she was missing the pink-haired idiot, and the realization of it irritated him for reasons he didn't want to think about. But what irritated him more was the fact that she didn't say a word in reply. Instead, she just bit her lip before turning away from him to look back out over the lake.

For a moment he wondered if he had hurt her feelings by reminding her of Natsu's absence, and his brain raced to think of something to say in apology. But when she turned back to him he saw that her lips were curved into a smile and her eyes held a sparkle that he hadn't seen in quite some time.

"You're right," she said, raising her chin. "He's not. And it'll be nice to be able to enjoy a ferry ride for once without having to worry about him blowing chunks!"

A wave of pure relief washed over him. "Right!" he grinned, "Let's get going then!"

It didn't take them long to find the dock to the ferry, but as they approached they realized the deckhands had loosened the ropes from the pier and the ferry was on its way – without them.

"Looks like we're gonna have to make a run for it!" Gray burst into a sprint, flinging his white coat off in the process and leaving it hovering in the air behind him. "Come on, Luce!"

She sweat-dropped in exasperation, hoping that was the only item of clothing he would take off before they reached the ferry. "Gray, your clothes," she sighed before chasing after him along the swaying wooden dock just in time to catch his coat before it hit the ground.

Gray's longer legs got him to the edge of the pier in no time, and it was a short jump for him over the water and onto the boat. Landing with a skid on the ferry floor, he immediately spun around and saw Lucy trailing after him on the pier. With alarm he realized the ferry's speed was increasing and Lucy might not make it in time.

He ran to the edge of the boat then spread his arms out towards her. "MAKE A JUMP FOR IT AND I'LL CATCH YOU!"

As Lucy ran she also noticed the ferry getting farther and farther away. "Oh, why does this always happen to us?" she groaned, pumping her legs faster. Meanwhile, her mind raced through her list of celestial spirits, trying to decide who she could call on if she couldn't make the jump. But the only one who excelled in water was Aquarius, and she knew the blue mermaid would be more eager to drown her than to save her should she miss the boat.

_"I'll take my chances!"_ she thought frantically. As soon as her foot hit the last wooden plank on the pier, she jumped, putting every ounce of strength into her leap over the blue lake.

Weightlessness. For a terrifying heartbeat she floated in the air, gravity not seeming to make up its mind about whether or not she would sail or swim. Then, out of nowhere, she heard a splash, followed by a hard, wet slap to her back that shot her straight towards the boat at top speed.

"AAAAAHHHH!" she screamed.

"What the-!"

Gray was strong, but the force at which Lucy propelled into him was too much, even for him. The moment they collided he went toppling backwards, falling to the ferry floor with a sickening thud with Lucy collapsing right on top of him. As they slid across the floor he circled his arms around her waist while she gripped his shirt with one hand and his coat in the other, the pair clinging to each other for several feet before crashing against the wall of the captain's cabin headfirst.

For a moment they lay there, panting from exhaustion and relief. Lucy's forehead was pressed into Gray's chest, and she could feel the rapid pounding of his heart from underneath the shirt that he thankfully was still wearing. Raising her head, her deep brown eyes caught the flash of his cobalt blue irises that seemed both startled and self-conscious at the same time. It was then that she realized why - their faces were mere inches away from each other, and other body parts, were, well, even closer than that.

She gulped, trailing her eyes down because the intense way he was looking at her was making her feel all sorts of tingly and nervous and confused and she didn't know what those feelings meant. But that proved even worse because then she caught sight of his lips, lips she had never even noticed before but for some reason seemed immensely kissable at that moment, and she bit her own lip to stifle the urge.

"Lucy," he gasped, trying to figure out how to get her off him without her noticing his own urge that he was fighting in the lower half of his body. "Uh, could you, uh—"

"GRAY-SAMA!"

They froze, knowing there was only one person in the world who called him by that name. Slowly they turned their heads upward to see Juvia Lockser standing over them, the cheerful pink umbrella she held in her hands a direct contrast to the dark and gloomy look on her face. Next to her stood an equally shocked Lyon Bastia, who was holding a latte in each hand, apparently just returning from the on-deck coffee bar.

Juvia's lower lip trembled, and she looked at Lucy with a pained expression. "So," she accused, "you WERE Juvia's love rival after all!"


	5. Chapter 5

"You and your crazy imagination," Gray grumbled, carefully rolling Lucy off him in a sideways motion. "Lucy had to jump to catch the ferry and she fell on me, that's all. We are, and always have been, JUST FRIENDS."

Lucy pressed her lips together to keep from frowning. "_Geez, did he have to be so emphatic about us just being friends?" s_he thought as she climbed to her feet, still clutching his coat. "_Not Natsu's girlfriend, not Gray's either. Can't I ever get a break?" _A rush of heat gathered in her cheeks at the realization of what she was thinking. "_WHAT THE HECK? SINCE WHEN DO I WANT TO BE GRAY'S GIRLFRIEND ANYWAY?_"

Juvia narrowed her eyes. "If Gray-sama and Lucy are 'just friends,' then why you are taking the ferry to Sweetwater Cabin? _Alone_?"

"Sweetwater Cabin is in Snowdrop Village?" Lucy hugged Gray's coat to her chest protectively. Sweetwater Cabin was famous as a romantic hideaway for honeymooners and other couples seeking 'quality time' together. How was she going to convince Juvia it was just a coincidence?

Thankfully, Gray cut in. "It's strictly business," he said, taking his coat from Lucy's arms. "Erza took Natsu on an S-Class mission so we took a separate mission to catch the thieves stealing astronomy maps from the Snowdrop Village archives. You know – _snow, stars_?" He pulled on his coat and stepped in front of Lucy to face Juvia. "It seemed the perfect job for us."

Lyon smirked. "Then why is Lucy blushing if it's just a mission?" he challenged, fully enjoying Gray's stunned look at the question he posed.

"You try running across a pier and then jumping over a lake onto a moving boat without breaking a sweat," Lucy shot back, crossing her arms. "Can't a girl get a little flushed after exerting herself?"

Lyon chuckled as he walked over to Juvia. "Whatever you say," he said breezily, handing a latte to his blue-haired girlfriend. "Here you are _my dearest_ Juvia," adding extra saccharine to the terms of endearment now that his rival was a captive audience to his wooing. "A sweet for the sweetest!"

Lucy glanced at Gray, wondering if he was bothered by Lyon's little show. But as usual, her friend's face was frozen into an unreadable expression she couldn't decipher.

Juvia dragged her eyes away from Gray to look at Lyon, who beamed at her adoringly. Giving her boyfriend a hesitant smile, she took the latte and turned to Lucy. "Juvia sees now," she murmured. "Juvia is sorry for the misunderstanding."

Lucy felt as small as Juvia's voice. She had always known about the water girl's unrequited feelings for Gray, and could only imagine how difficult it had been for her to finally move on. "It's okay Juvia, no hard feelings. But speaking of flushed, I really need to find a ladies room."

"Second door on the left just past the bar," Lyon pointed over his shoulder. "Don't be too long or Gray will miss you!"

"Hmph!" Giving the Lamia Scale mage her most icy glare, Lucy walked briskly past Lyon and straight to the ladies room, almost slamming the door behind her once inside. _"What a day!"_ she groaned as she leaned against the door, thankful for the brief escape.

Now faced with silence, the events of the last twenty-four hours raced through her brain and she rubbed her throbbing temples. The disastrous date with Hibiki, followed by kissing Gray, then falling asleep on him in the train and then falling INTO him when she jumped on the ferry. It was just one humiliating mishap after another and she wasn't sure she could take much more of it

She walked over to the sink and splashed water on her face to cool her heated cheeks. Patting her face dry with a paper towel, she scrutinized herself in the mirror. "Oh, who am I kidding?" she scolded her reflection. "It was that stupid kiss that started this whole mess! Why, oh why, did I have to kiss him?"

She had tried not to think about it, but that kiss was at the forefront of her thoughts ever since it happened. How could one little peck turn her feelings for her friend completely upside down? Since that night her heart had flip-flopped from utter embarrassment over having kissed him to fighting the urge to do it again. She didn't even want to think about what would have happened if Juvia hadn't interrupted them after she had flown into Gray.

The blonde's heart thudded as she remembered the terrifying leap over the seemingly endless waters. She was still amazed that she had managed to reach the boat, especially when it seemed for a moment that she wasn't going to make it.

"Wait a minute," she frowned, remembering the feeling of a hard slap on her back right before she had almost sunk into the lake, "I DIDN'T make that jump by myself! I was PUSHED!"

She spun around to take a look at her back in the mirror. Sure enough, there was a fading wet spot in the center of her back. But other than a slight "V" shape, she couldn't make out what could have made that mark.

"What in the …"

The bathroom door creaked open, interrupting Lucy's thoughts. Turning, she saw Juvia standing in the doorway.

"Can Juvia come in?" she asked meekly.

Lucy nodded. "Sure, I'm pretty much done anyway."

Juvia reached out and grabbed Lucy's arm. "Please don't leave yet. Juvia would like to speak with Lucy."

_"Oh boy, I'm in for it now!"_ Lucy gulped. "Um, okay, er, what would you like to talk about?"

The blue-haired girl loosened her grip and let out a sigh. "Juvia would like to apologize again. It really isn't Juvia's business anymore who Gray-sama loves. Although she wonders why Lucy would not love Gray-sama back, when he cares for her so much."

Lucy sweat-dropped. "Oh Juvia, you really are imagining things! Gray cares for everyone in our guild."

"No," Juvia shook her head. "Lucy is not just nakama to Gray-sama." As Juvia's blue eyes glistened Lucy trembled at the threat of the water girl's tears, which she knew from experience could flood an entire building. But none came.

Juvia took a deep breath. "Does Lucy know that when Juvia first met Gray-sama, he said he would rather die than hand over Lucy?"

Lucy's heart skipped a beat. "He said that?" Her mind traveled back to the time when her father had hired the Phantom Lord guild to kidnap her. Juvia had been part of that now defunct guild, and had even successfully caught Lucy at one point. Luckily, Lucy had escaped, and a battle followed between the two guilds. Lucy knew that Juvia and Gray had fought one another then, and that he had been the victor. But she had no idea he said he'd _die_ for her.

Juvia nodded. "When Juvia met Gray-sama, she loved him instantly. She joined Fairy Tail hoping he would love her too. She even followed Gray-sama around to learn more about him. But all she learned was that wherever Gray-sama was, so was Lucy. If Gray-sama wasn't sitting at the guild next to Lucy, he was at Lucy's apartment, or on a mission with her. No matter what Juvia did, she could never get Gray-sama away from Lucy."

"No…" Lucy started, but even as she denied it, she knew Juvia was right. She just hadn't noticed it before because she had been too busy focusing on Natsu. The boisterous Dragon Slayer easily overshadowed the quiet, cool ice mage. But the more she thought about it, the more she realized that wherever she and Natsu had been, Gray had been right there too, all along. Did he really care for her in that way?

Lucy shook her head. "No," she said, this time more emphatically. "We're teammates, that's all. We ALL hang out together and go on missions: me, Gray, Natsu AND Erza. We're team Natsu. That's it. That's all."

Juvia twisted her folded pink umbrella in her hands. "Juvia tried to convince herself of that too. But eventually she realized the truth." Her lower lip trembled as she took a deep breath.

"Juvia decided the best way to show her love for Gray-sama was to let him follow his heart. Juvia knows Lucy would be very happy with Gray-sama if she would give him the chance. Juvia believes Lucy will find that ice can burn just as much as fire."

"What? How can ice burn? I don't understand!"

"Not now. But Lucy will. Lucy will."

* * *

Gray's blood was boiling so hot that it wouldn't surprise him if steam were to come out of his hands instead of ice.

Juvia and Lyon. Of all the people they had to run into on this boat, it was the two who always managed to make him lose his cool. Although, after her little crash-landing, Lucy was rapidly making a name for herself in that category, but Gray tried not to think about it.

"I said Lucy's not my girlfriend," he growled, stuffing his hands into his pockets to stifle the urge to punch the shit-eating grin off Lyon's face. "Why can't you get that into your thick skull?"

Lyon leaned back against the ferry's railing, the blue of his coat almost as deep as the lake waters that rippled behind him. He took a slow sip of his latte while looking Gray over. "Hey, I'm just glad to find out you like girls after all. I was really starting to wonder about your preferences considering your immunity to my angelically beautiful girlfriend."

Gray dug his fingernails into his palms, the pain only just slightly taking the edge off his anger. "Shut up."

"No accounting for taste, I guess," Lyon mock-sighed, shrugging his shoulders. "I mean, Lucy is pretty, but she doesn't compare to my lovely Juvia."

"We. Are. On. A. Mission."

"Of course," smirked Lyon, swirling his latte in his hand before taking one last swig. "The perfect plan to get her away from that fire mage she's always fawning over. Good one, I must admit. But you'll have to step up your game if you think you can best him." He leaned towards Gray. "Want me to give you a few tips?"

Gray rushed over and grabbed Lyon by the lapels of his coat. "How about I give YOU a tip?" he snarled at Lyon's smug face. "SHUT THE FUCK UP BEFORE I THROW YOU OFF THIS BOAT!"

Lyon's shoulders shook with mirth as he took hold of Gray's hands and jerked them off his coat. "You always were so easy to rile up," he chuckled. "Promise me you'll never change!"

_"Dammit!"_ Gray took a step back, realizing he'd walked right into Lyon's little trap. He ran his fingers through his spiky dark hair and glared at his rival. "You're a real asshole, you know that?"

Lyon smoothed his coat where Gray's hands had been. "Considering you're an expert in that field, I'll take that as a compliment. Anyway, calm down. I saw that same mission on the Lamia Scale board so I know it's legitimate. I'm just disappointed to find that you're not participating in Sweetwater Cabin's ice sculpture competition."

Gray's brows furrowed. "Ice sculpture competition?"

"It is part of Snowdrop Village's annual Snowflake Festival, Gray-sama," said Juvia, who had come up behind him, followed by Lucy. "Lyon-sama has won the competition the last seven years in a row, and asked Juvia to accompany him to this year's festival. Lyon-sama is the undefeated champion!"

Gray snorted. "Only because I haven't been around to compete."

"Oh?" Lyon cocked an eyebrow. "You think you can beat me?"

Gray cracked his knuckles. "Blindfolded and with one hand tied behind my back!"

"Well this will be quite the treat," Lyon's eyes gleamed. "Just when I was starting to get bored from winning so easily! It'll be nice to have a heated battle for a change."

"H-heated grappling?" Juvia blushed full force as an image flashed in her mind of the two ice mages wrestling with each other, shirtless and muscles glistening with sweat.

Lucy rolled her eyes, knowing Juvia well enough to guess what she was thinking. She walked over to Gray and tugged his arm. "Gray, is this competition really necessary?"

"Don't worry, Lucy, there will be plenty for you to do too," said Lyon. "With your penchant for dress up, you would be a perfect candidate for the Miss Snowflake competition. And since Juvia is sadly not participating, you may actually have a chance at winning. Although, I can't think of a more perfect Snowflake Queen than Juvia!"

Juvia sweat-dropped. "Sorry Lyon-sama, but Juvia is too shy to wear such skimpy outfits in public, not even for a one hundred thousand jewel prize!"

"A hundred grand?!" Lucy's eyes sparkled. "_Why, that's the exact amount I need!"_ she thought. "I'M IN!"

Gray gave Lucy an evil grin. "Is that competition really necessary?" he mocked.

"Definitely!" Lucy grinned back before turning to Lyon. "When are the competitions?"

"The day after tomorrow," said Lyon.

Lucy blinked. "But that will only give us one day to finish the mission!"

"Backing out so soon?" Lyon chuckled.

Gray extended his arm in front of Lucy, cutting her off. "We'll be there."

Lyon crossed his arms with a smirk. "I look forward to it."


	6. Chapter 6

In vibrant blues and metallics, the constellation "Pegasus" gleamed from the aged astronomy map laid out on the large mahogany desk in front of Lucy. Carefully, she traced the painted image with her fingertips as memories of her mother flooded her mind. How many nights had she sat in her mother's arms, looking up at the night sky and listening to her stories about the magical winged horse? No matter how old she got, she knew her love for both her mother, and the stars, would never fade.

"Exactly how many maps were stolen?" Gray asked the curator who stood across the desk from the two mages in the main hall of the Snowdrop Village archives. The cavernous building had just closed to the general public, leaving the three of them alone to discuss the details of the robberies.

The no-nonsense woman looked at him from over her glasses. "Three over the past two weeks. And I can tell you, it's raised quite a few questions for us!"

"This is amazing," Lucy breathed, still in a reverie over the map. "The colors are so vivid! And look at how the gold on this lettering shines! I would never have guessed this map is over a hundred years old."

"That's one of the main questions," said the curator. "This is one of our most valuable maps, yet the thieves stole the one right next to it instead, which is far less valuable! The other two maps aren't our most valuable either, and our vault has remained untouched. Why aren't they stealing from our most prized collection?"

"Hmmm." Gray frowned and rubbed his chin. "There are two possibilities."

Lucy shot him a glance. _"Wow, he already has two theories?"_ she thought, amazed at how quickly his mind worked.

"Either they're starting out with the small stuff to test the security system before moving on to the pricier items, or…" he trailed off, squinting at the map splayed out on the desk.

The curator nervously clutched the pearls that hung around her neck. "OR?"

His navy blue eyes focused back on the curator. "Or, it's not about money at all."

Lucy and the curator looked at each other in surprise.

Gray turned to Lucy. "Based on the maps that were stolen, can you think of any sort of pattern?"

The blonde studied the map. "Let's see…they were of the constellations Crater, Draco, and Hydra," she mused. Although they were minor constellations with silver keys instead of gold, they were still highly prized among celestial mages like herself. Of the three, Lucy had only once encountered the key for Hydra, which at the time had been too expensive for her to purchase. Unable to bargain down the seller, she bought the more affordable key for Lyra instead. Unfortunately, by the time Lucy had earned enough for Hydra's, someone else had bought it, and she sometimes wondered if she should have just saved for Hydra's key first, considering how infrequently Lyra's musical abilities had come into play on her missions.

A thought popped into her mind and she bit her lip. _"Nah, that's silly, it couldn't be!"_ she thought.

"You've thought of something," he said.

Her eyes widened. "You can tell?"

"Yeah, you always bite your lip when you've got an idea." He gave her a slight smile. "So what is it?"

She shook her head. "It's nothing, really!"

"Come on, Luce, you're one of the smartest people I know!" He tapped her forehead with his forefinger. "I'm sure that whatever you've come up with has got to be good."

Her cheeks reddened in surprise at his playful gesture. "Um, well," she swallowed, trying to ignore how the touch of his finger still lingered on her forehead, "I was just thinking that these constellations are also the names of popular music bands."

"They are?" His eyebrows shot up. "Hold on…I think I saw a poster on the bulletin board in the lobby about a concert at the Snowflake Festival! Maybe the bands will be there!"

The duo raced across the marble floors to the lobby where they found the bulletin board encased in glass behind the front desk. There, an electric blue poster stole center stage from the standard announcements of local book clubs and town meetings that now had to struggle for attention.

"ONE NIGHT ONLY! YOUR FAVORITE BANDS WILL ROCK YOU LIKE AN AVALANCE AT THE SNOWFLAKE FESTIVAL!" The large type blared over a garish drawing of a yeti tossing an oversized snowball off a mountaintop at a village below.

"That is so unrealistic," grumbled Gray. "You can't form a perfectly round ball like that out of the snow around here! The consistency is too light! You gotta use a denser ice!"

"Will you focus?!" Lucy poked him on the shoulder as she scanned through the names of the bands listed on the poster. "Let's see…there's Crater! And Draco! Yup, Hydra…PICTOR!" She grabbed his arm in excitement. "Pictor is a band named after a constellation!"

Gray turned to the curator who had finally caught up with them. "Do you have a map of the constellation Pictor?"

"Yes," she gasped, catching her breath. "It's in the east wing."

"Then, we'll wait there tonight," he said. "With the Snowflake Festival the day after tomorrow, they'll most likely come for it within the next 24 hours. And I have a plan to catch them!" He grinned at Lucy. "Ready to hear it, princess?"

She smiled and cocked her hip at him. "I'm all ears, ice boy!"

* * *

His plan had gone off without a hitch. After several tedious hours of waiting in the empty archives the two mages easily nabbed the culprit. It turned out that the thieves were really just one teenager collecting maps of the constellations his favorite bands were named after, in an attempt to impress his friends. Between getting tangled in Lucy's whip and thrown in Gray's ice prison, the boy gave up immediately.

No battle. No mess. No problem.

With no damages to pay for, Lucy and Gray were guaranteed the full amount of the reward money that had been printed on the mission's flyer. Not only that, the grateful curator was so relieved at how well they had taken care of the archives that she gave them a little extra money as a tip. And since they only had to split the reward 50/50, it was an even bigger jackpot than Lucy had expected!

The blonde couldn't help but break out into a happy dance while she waited in the lobby for her friend to sort out the final details with the curator. Five months' worth of rent was in her hot little hands, which meant she could spend more time on her writing instead of looking for work – at least, for a short while anyway. It was the largest amount of money she had ever earned on a mission, and it was all thanks to Gray.

She turned to give him an appreciative glance from across the lobby. Though she could only see his profile, she could tell he was listening intently to the curator's words. It dawned on Lucy at that moment how unlike Natsu he was in almost every way. From his cool composure to his smooth strategy, the ice make mage was the complete opposite of the brash, fiery Dragon Slayer. There was no doubt in her mind that had she come on the mission with Natsu, she'd have more bruises and fewer jewels than she did at that moment.

Gray gave the curator one last bow. As he turned toward Lucy, she could see a satisfied grin toying at the corner of his mouth, and his navy blue eyes flashing with pride – a way too dangerous combination for his already handsome features. She could almost feel the confidence from a job well done radiating like an aura around his body, and the invisible touch sent goosebumps all along her skin.

_"When did he get so mature?"_ she thought in alarm, clenching the bag of jewels in her hand tighter at his approach. She gulped, wondering how the self-assured, fully clothed version of her friend could make her more nervous than the half-naked stripper he usually was.

He stopped in his tracks and frowned at her. "What's wrong?"

"N-nothing!"

"Then why are you looking at me all weird?" he asked, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"I'm not looking at you weird!" She looked away from him to prove her point.

"Yes, you are." He studied her for a moment before scratching his head. "Maybe you're constipated? Natsu mentioned something about that the other day."

"I AM NOT CONSTIPATED!"

In a shower of sparkles, Loke magically appeared next to them. "I'm glad to hear it! After all, we can't have a constipated Snowflake Queen, can we?"

"Loke!" Lucy smiled in relief at the welcome change of subject.

"Hey man, good to see—" Gray was interrupted by Loke slinging one arm around the back of his shoulders and the other around Lucy's, hugging the two mages together in an unrelenting grip.

"Another successful mission with my best girl and my best friend!" sang Loke, squeezing the two so tightly that their foreheads almost touched. "Don't we make a wonderful team?"

Gray struggled to break free of Loke's arm. "I don't remember YOU doing anything on this mission!" he growled.

"Loke, I can't breathe!" Lucy gasped.

"Oh, sorry!" Loke relaxed his arms, allowing Gray and Lucy to escape his clutches. "I'm just so happy to see my two favorite people together!" he grinned. "So, now that the mission has been accomplished, what's next on the agenda?"

Gray rubbed the back of his neck and glared at Loke. "We're heading for Sweetwater Cabin. That's where all the Snowflake Festival competitions are happening tomorrow."

"I hope they have room for us," Lucy stifled a yawn. "I could really use a fluffy mattress right about now!"

"Oh? And what exciting activities do you have planned for said fluffy mattress, pray tell?" Loke leaned towards her with a devilish grin.

Lucy swatted his arm. "Stop it! You know what I meant!"

"Such abuse I suffer at the hands of my owner!" Loke clutched his heart in mock-pain. "Gray, do you see what I have to put up with?"

"Hmph!" Lucy thrust her clenched fists down and pouted. "You're lucky that's all I've done, considering what you pulled on my date with Hibiki!"

"Ah!" Loke bowed low. "My deepest apologies, my princess, I was only trying to protect you," he chuckled, pulling out an envelope from his suit jacket pocket as he stood back up. "Please accept this humble gift as a peace offering."

Lucy snatched the envelope from his hands. Ripping it open, she pulled out what appeared to be two tickets. "Loke!" she gasped, reading the cursive script printed on them. "I can't believe this!"

"What is it?" Gray peeked over Lucy's shoulder to take a look.

Lucy showed the tickets to Gray. "Vouchers for a two-night stay at Sweetwater Cabin!" She turned to Loke and pressed a hand over hear heart. "How in the world did you get these?"

The celestial spirit's blue sunglasses flashed as he pushed them up the bridge of his nose. "I just happen to have a female acquaintance who works there," he said, matter-of-factly.

"I'll bet you do," Gray snorted.

Loke smirked at him. "Just mention my name to the receptionist and she'll take good care of you!" He turned to Lucy and took her hand, giving it a quick kiss. "I look forward to seeing you crowned Snowflake Queen tomorrow, my dear! Adieu!" With one final wink at her, Loke vanished into thin air.

"You know, sometimes he can really get on my nerves," Gray grumbled.

Lucy waved the tickets high in the air. "Come on, let's go! I can't wait to see our room!"

* * *

By the time Lucy and Gray entered the lush lobby of Sweetwater Cabin, the sun was setting in the sky in blazing pinks and oranges that shone through the panoramic windows, giving the wood paneled interior of the lodge a warm, welcoming glow. Adding to the homey feel, the scent of freshly brewed hot apple cider wafted through the air while the crackling blaze from the roaring fireplace helped thaw out their chill from walking in the snow covered woods. Spying a smartly dressed maid placing fresh scones and muffins for arriving guests at the tea and coffee service counter, Lucy felt her tummy grumble. If the pastries were any indication of their in-house menu, she was definitely ordering room service!

At the mention of Loke's name, the receptionist at the check-in desk blushed wildly. "Ah, Loke's friends!" she tittered, "Yes, all the arrangements have been made. And may I say, you are lucky to know him! Only such a gentleman as he could get a reservation here during the Snowflake Festival!"

"Really?" Lucy handed the vouchers to the young woman. "I had no idea this festival was so popular!"

The receptionist nodded as she took down the last tasseled key hanging from the wall of hooks behind her. "It's actually our biggest event of the year! In fact, we have been booked solid for weeks!" She handed the key to Lucy. "Your suite is located on the third floor, you'll find it at the end of the hallway to your left. I'm sure it won't disappoint!"

"Wow, a suite!" Lucy beamed at Gray who was leaning back against the receptionist desk with his elbows on the counter. "Loke really does have style, doesn't he?"

He shrugged. "I guess." His navy blue eyes looked bored as they glanced around the lobby. "Some of us don't need flashy clothes to look cool, though."

She placed the key in her pocket and smirked. "If you're trying to use that as an excuse to strip, I'm not buying it."

He crossed his arms and glared at her. "Haha, very funny."

"I hope you enjoy your stay!" the receptionist bowed. "If there's anything you need, just ring us here at the front desk. Oh, and congratulations!" she called as they walked away.

"That was weird," he frowned as they entered an elevator. "What's she congratulating us for?"

Lucy stretched and yawned. "I have no idea! Frankly, I'm more worried about whether I should order room service or go straight to bed once we're in the room!"

"That depends," he gave her a wry grin. "Are you more hungry or sleepy?"

She smiled back at him. "Yes!" she giggled.

He shook his head. "Ask a silly question…" he chuckled.

The elevator slowed and stopped, chiming once before it slid open its wrought iron doors to the opulently decorated third floor. The pair exited and turned left as the receptionist had indicated, passing an occasional door on either side of the hushed passage, each bearing a "Do Not Disturb" sign on the doorknob.

When they reached the end of the hallway, they found themselves faced with an ornately carved wooden door embellished by two golden cherubs painted on the outside. The pair of cupids gazed at each other adoringly amongst a field of roses and butterflies that were deeply etched into the honeyed oak that gleamed with a fresh oiling. At the top, completing the scene, were two pure white doves, each carrying a rose in its beak, hovering above the angelic couple and showering them with petals.

"You gotta be kidding me," Gray said as Lucy used the tasseled key to unlock the door. "Whoever designed this place needs to seriously lower their sugar intake."

She turned the gold inlaid doorknob. "Well, I think it's cute! And it'll be a nice change from sleeping on the cold, hard floor of the archives like we did last night, that's for sure!"

Swinging open the door, Lucy took two steps in then stopped abruptly with a gasp, causing Gray to bump into her from behind.

"Hey, why'd ya stop?" he asked before his jaw dropped at the sight before him.

As though swimming in a sea of wine, the suite in front of them throbbed in every shade of red imaginable. A crimson couch sat by a brick fireplace whose blaze cast a rosy glow across the room, while ruby curtains hung from oversized windows that framed a table for two bearing a candlelit dinner. Not to be outdone, scarlet robes hung from a rack outside the bathroom door, which was painted with blushing roses similar to the ones carved on the entryway. But nothing made their pulses beat faster than the crowning touch that beckoned to them from the center of the saccharine suite - a heart-shaped bed, bedecked with a frilly garnet bedspread and two cherry pink heart-shaped pillows with the words "Just Married" embroidered on them in white.

Lucy covered her mouth with her hands. "Don't tell me this is…"

"…the honeymoon suite," Gray finished with a groan.


	7. Chapter 7

Gray didn't know if it was possible to kill a celestial spirit, but he sure as hell was gonna try.

The freakin' honeymoon suite. No wonder the girl at the front desk had congratulated them. She probably thought she was sending off two newlyweds to their blissful wedding night thanks to that smart ass Loke. Gray had half a mind to grab Lucy's celestial keys and call the prankster out himself. Loke had played some wild tricks on him in the past, but this was going too far!

He spun on his heels and marched out of the room, leaving a stunned Lucy standing in the doorway behind him. Realizing his abrupt departure, the blonde turned and ran after him down the hallway.

"Where are you going?!"

"Back to the front desk to get us another room!"

"But you can't!" She grabbed onto the sleeve of his coat, stopping him in his tracks.

He turned around to face her. "Why the hell not?"

"Didn't you hear the receptionist? There aren't any other rooms! They're totally booked!"

"But we gotta do something!" His arm shot over her shoulder to point at the offending suite. "We can't stay in…in…THERE!"

"We don't have a choice!" she pleaded.

He ran a hand through his spiky black hair in frustration. "Dammit!" How was he supposed to keep his cool around her in a room like that?

"Look," she pinched the bridge of her nose, "I know it's embarrassing, but can't we stick it out for just two nights? I'm so tired and hungry and there's already food set up in there and everything! I mean, we've slept in worse places on missions before, right?"

"Hmph." He crossed his arms in front of his chest and avoided her gaze.

"If it really bothers you that much I can sleep on the couch and you can have the bed." She put on her best lost puppy dog look and clasped her hands together under her chin. "Pretty please?"

He looked down at her big chocolate brown eyes and button nose that was still adorably red from the cold and wondered why he had to be cursed with a teammate who was so damn cute.

"Don't be ridiculous," he frowned.

Her shoulders drooped.

"You'll sleep on the bed, I'll take the couch," he muttered.

A huge smile lit up her face. "Yay! Thank you!"

He couldn't help but grin a little himself at how ridiculously happy she was about it. "Yeah, yeah, but only cuz you need your beauty sleep for the Miss Snowflake competition," he said, taking off his coat as he walked past her back to the room. "Alright, let's see if their cook has better taste than their interior decorator."

* * *

Lucy hiccupped after downing the last sip of her second glass of wine. She hadn't meant to drink so much, but she needed to take the edge off her nerves. It turned out that sitting at a candlelit table for two in a romantic suite with Gray was a lot harder than she thought it would be.

Not that he was acting weird or anything. In fact, all they had done after walking back into the room was tuck straight into their dinner, which had to be one of the most delicious meals she'd ever had in her life. Juicy roast chicken, sautéed mixed vegetables, and fluffy buttery rolls were cooked to a near heavenly state, melting in her mouth as soon as they passed her lips. She knew that even if her appetite hadn't been whetted from their long walk to Sweetwater Cabin it would all still taste just as amazing.

No, the food wasn't the problem. Nor was it Gray's conversation, which was pretty much zero as he ate his portion of the delectable meal in silence. The problem was how the candlelight danced across his handsome features, how his dark hair cast a shadow over his moody blue eyes, and how his strong hand grasped his wine glass firmly yet delicately at the same time making her wonder what it would feel like if he touched her in the same way.

It was that last thought that made her grab for the bottle of wine.

The fullness in her stomach and effects of the alcohol hit her at the same time, causing her to sway with sleepiness in her chair. Shaking her head awake with a yawn, she pushed away from the table and stood up. Thankfully, the bed was close by, and after two staggering steps she collapsed on it in an exhausted heap.

"Ugh," she groaned, rolling onto her back and rubbing her tummy. "I'm so stuffed!"

Gray turned his chair towards the bed, extending his legs to place his feet on the edge of the mattress. "No wonder," he teased, sinking down into his chair while crossing his ankles. "You ate so much I'm surprised we have any food left on the table at all!"

She stuck her tongue out at him. "Excuse me, but of the six rolls now missing from the breadbasket I only had two!"

He crossed his arms behind his head. "Man, those were so good you're lucky you even had one!"

She rubbed her eyes. "Greedy," she yawned.

"Hey," he shook the bed with his feet, "you can't fall asleep yet! We need to talk about tomorrow's strategy."

"Strategy?" She rolled onto her side to face him. "You already have a strategy for tomorrow?"

"Well, yeah," he shrugged. "My ice sculpture has to blow Lyon's away, so I've been thinking about a design since yesterday. I've decided on what I'm gonna make, I just need your help pulling it off."

She nestled into the pillows. "Won't that be cheating?"

He shook his head. "Nope. According to the rules, each sculptor can have one assistant to help in whatever way they see fit. Lyon will definitely have Juvia help him, so your helping me should even the score."

"Okay," she yawned. "What do you need me to do?"

"Just summon Lyra to play a song. That's it."

"Lyra?" Her drowsy eyes flew open at the thought of her musical celestial spirit whom she rarely called. "Why her?"

"My sculpture is going to be a gigantic music box, but I need music. Lyra can do that part by sitting inside and singing."

"A music box with Lyra singing? I can't wait to see it!" She smiled at him in awe. "I'm happy to help!"

"Cool!" He rubbed his hands together. "I know she's gonna bring the house down!"

As a companionable silence fell over the pair, she gazed at him from the bed, her smile still lingering on her lips. Catching the soft expression on her face, he felt his heart begin to pound. Strangely, he wanted her to stop looking at him like that and never stop looking at him like that at the same time, and the opposing desires confused the hell out of him.

"What?" he finally managed.

She shook her head. "I was just thinking how like you it is to have a plan. Natsu always rushes in and smashes everything to smithereens, but you always think things through before acting."

"Yeah, well," he muttered, shifting in his chair, "I learned a long time ago that there are some opponents you can't beat by sheer force alone."

The blonde sobered instantly. She knew without a doubt that he was referring to the demon Deliora that had killed his parents and ice-make teacher, and wiped out his entire hometown when he was a boy. She shuddered at the memory of when she had seen the horrific monster in person. Luckily, it had been encased in ice for so long that it merely crumbled into dust after it had been revived, but she could only imagine the terror and pain her friend had suffered at its hands.

"It must have been so awful to lose your family like that," she whispered.

His navy blue eyes flashed at her in surprise. Pulling his legs down from the bed he sat forward and leant his elbows on his knees. "It is what it is," he shrugged, looking at the floor. "Besides, you've lost your family too, so who am I to complain?"

It was all a front, she knew, and his bravery pierced her heart. "That doesn't make your pain any less," she said quietly.

He raised his head and looked at her in wonder. He didn't say anything, but the yearning look in his eyes as he searched her face spoke volumes. The urge to touch him, soothe him, tell him he wasn't alone anymore almost overpowered her, and she had to force herself to look away.

"Th-this is too sad to talk about!" she stammered, rolling onto her back. "Let's change the subject!"

He let out a slow exhale. "Alright. What do you wanna talk about?"

"Ummm," she stared at the ceiling, too shy to look him in the eye. "Maybe you can help me come up with a strategy for winning the Miss Snowflake competition?"

"Nope."

Her shyness was immediately canceled out by indignation at his flat refusal. "What do you mean 'nope'?" She sat up and glared at him, punching her clenched fists into the mattress. "I'm helping you out! Why won't you help me?"

"Because you don't need it," he chuckled at her fiery response. "There's no way you'll lose."

Her fists relaxed at his compliment and she slowly sunk back into the mattress with a sigh. His belief in her was flattering, but doubt still nagged at her. "Even though I'm not as pretty as Juvia?"

He scrunched his forehead at her. "Says who?"

"Lyon."

"Tch," he scowled. "If you're gonna be dumb enough to listen to that idiot's opinion, then I take back everything I said about you being smart."

"WELL!" She rolled to her other side, turning her back to him. "You don't have to be a jerk about it!"

His shoulders shook with quiet laughter. He hadn't meant to tease her, but her reactions were just too much fun. Studying her back for a moment, he decided he'd better smooth things over so there were no hurt feelings.

"You'll win because you're both the prettiest and smartest girl I know," he soothed.

Silence.

"Lucy?"

No response.

_"Oh crap, she's mad,"_ he thought. He got up and crept around the bed to face her, only to find that she had fallen asleep.

He shook his head. Reaching across her sleeping body, he pulled the bedspread over her and tucked it in at her elbows and knees as best he could. Smiling faintly to himself, he gazed at her slumbering face. Did she always look this sweet and peaceful when she slept? Instinctively, his hand reached out to sweep her silky blonde bangs away from her forehead.

With a shock, he realized what he was doing and pulled his hand back as though stung. Heat rising in his face, he then ran to the safety of the couch, where instead of counting sheep he thought up all the myriad ways he would torture Loke the next time he saw him before succumbing to his own fitful slumber.


End file.
